Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-19
FACTS IN THE CASE
Ed. Tribune

Ed. Tribune:
Several articles and letters have lately
appeared il the River Press and Rising Sur
IN relation to the county racket and
schemes as it is put, signed by Taxpayer.
Anti-County Division and Many Citizens.
Others interested take a look at the map
and the real facts in the case at once APP
pear.
In the first place, Choseau county has q
bill before the legislature now for the
purpose OF having the west end of Che
teau county and the northwest corner Of
Lewis and Clarke county cut off to form
q new county, with the town of Choteau
as the county seat; the county erganiza-
ton to go into effect in two years: and
why not: Any impartial person must
see that Choteau has a natural location for
q county seat, as it is a prosperous town
and 50 located that it is accessible to all the
people. In all probability the Northern
Pacific railroad will build up the Dear
born, over to Fiat creek via Augusta to
Choteau and from thence to the Canada
Pacific.
Then, next comes Great Falls before
this Legislature with a petition signed By
$50 names, from parts of Meagher, Lewis
and Clark and Choteau counties, includ-
30 names from the town of Sun River, and
also nearly all of the names of the leading
taxpayers along the Missouri river in
Lewis and Clarke couaty. Now look at
the lines of the proposed county; it will
only take a small strip of Choteau county
about ten miles wide, running west to just
above Fort Shaw. This line could be run
west to the principal meridian, north and
south which would leave the town Of
Sun River about two miles west of the
line, thus leaving that place in the Cho-
teau county seat. Such a change would
not affect the new county Of Great Falls,
as it would lengthen the distance to the
county seat by fifteen miles for the Sun
Riveriles. Then take a small corner of
Lewis and Clarke county and the most Of
the taxable property it would take Off
Meagher county; as it would take all
Chestnut valley, and all of the residents
there are in favor of going into the Great
Falls county, as those farthest Off would
only then have 30 miles to go, whereas
they now have from IS to $50 miles to
traverse to reach their respective county
seats and cross a mountain range into the
bargain, SO if any kicking was to be done
by the taxpayers it should be those men
toned and not the wealthy and populous
2xS mile Sun River valley. But as it hap
pens, a few old fogies in the town of Sun
River cannot get it through their heads
that a place like Sun River, which has been
located twenty two years, should be COM
PEELED to have their tax payers go to Great
Falls, a distance of twenty miles, to do
their county business, and thereby de-
priye them of a ride of so miles to Benton
or IS miles to Helena. 1t is beyond their
comprehension that q place should grow
up in two years treble the size of Sun
River in all respects, and furthermore, it
must be plain to them that Sun River is
not in the right location to make a city or
a convenient county seat. 1t is all right
SO long as it is a way station on the Helena
and Benton stage road, but it is only a
of a few months when it will re-
ceive all its mail, express and merehan-
disc from Great Falls.
1t is not the county lines that so much
fuss is made about, but the newness of the
situation, that things could be reversed in
such a short time. The editor of the
Ricer Press is in the same fix, not the
people of Benton. He thinks that a town
that was founded in 1886 ought to have
prior rights and exposes his W views !